Chief Kaxe whose responsibilities extend beyond governance to include cassava farming and cattle rearing also made a point, rather proudly, “Our lands, once fields of fear, are now fields of awareness”.  It is not a hyperbole. Indeed, the village of Thakachanh has stayed clear of any human casualties since 2008 while over 2,400 UXOs have been cleared in the village during the same period. The village has 371 hectares of designated land as Confirmed Hazardous Area (CHA) out of which 98 hectares have been cleared so far. 

Khammouane province is one of the most UXO contaminated province and has one of the highest casualties in Lao PDR. Much of the success in the village, Chief Kaxe attributes to the EORE programme of UXO Lao. 

“Every time they (UXO Lao EORE team) visit, the children are in giggles and so they never forget”, he says. The EORE teams use puppet shows and cinemas, among various other tools, to educate the villagers. They inform not only about the dangers associated with UXOs but also about what to do if anyone happens to find them. 

Chief Kaxe takes it to his heart, that he is the first point of contact when anyone finds UXOs in the village fields. Since the last EORE session in February 2022, the villagers have found over 100 UXOs, particularly the notorious BLU 26, a type of submunition also known as bombies among Lao people. He acts quickly to inform local authorities who in turn contact UXO Lao to request for clearance. This practice is a far cry since 2012 (when National Standards for UXO/Mine Action was institutionalized) when knowledge about UXOs was minimal, and safety measures were non-existent. Chief Kaxe feels pride and relief that no accidents followed these discoveries. 

Moreover, the former EORE village volunteers like Mr. Laseth have become the mouthpiece of the EORE team. The team has been successful in Thakachanh and surrounding villages because of volunteers like him. After all there’s only one UNDP supported EORE team in the entire province. 

On the same trip, I had met this ten-member EORE team 70 kilometres east of the town center. The road was dusty, uneven, and winding across dense jungles and passed through a stretch of the former Ho Chi Minh trail. I had wondered how’d they travel in rainy season in such conditions. Despite their absence for several months and even years in the same location where EORE team gave the trainings, EORE village volunteers have been reinforcing their life saving messages. 

Mr. Laseth began his journey with UXO Lao in 2005. He is equipped with invaluable knowledge, which he generously shares with people he meets almost every day. For a decade with EORE team, he had multiple roles. He served as an interpreter in ethnic communities and assisted in logistical tasks, such as setting up equipment during the training. “Saving lives begins with education”, he says solemnly, in stark contrast to his otherwise contagious mirth.